TRADE UNIONS representing staff in the public service have begun formally serving notice of industrial action on the Government to take effect from later this month in protest at cuts in pay introduced in the Budget.
Trade union Impact has formally warned the Department of Finance that industrial action up to and including a series of strike actions would commence from Monday, January 25th.
Separately yesterday, the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU) told the Department of Finance that its members in Government departments and non-commercial State agencies would commence industrial action from Tuesday, January 19th.
The letter said this would involve “restrictions on normal duties and also work to rule measures”. Impact is also expected to serve notice of industrial action on the health service and local authorities later in the week.
The executive council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation – formerly the INO – decided yesterday to issue notice of industrial action on the Health Service Executive.
This is to involve a ban on co-operation with any change or transformation programme; any new work practices, any new initiatives and with the further development of primary care teams.
The moves by the various trade unions is in line with a strategy announced by the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) last week as part of its campaign against the pay cuts introduced for public service staff.
The Ictu public services committee is to meet again today to consider the campaign, which will involve a new phase in the weeks ahead.
In its letter to the Department of Finance, Impact said that the industrial action could involve some or all of the following:
- Refusal to co-operate with work practice changes;
- Refusal to carry out certain duties;
- The introduction of a work to rule;
- The introduction of a ban on overtime;
- Strict adherence to health and safety procedures;
- Refusal to co-operate with redeployments not agreed with the union;
- Refusal to co-operate with work associated with a vacant post or an unfilled promotional outlet.
The union said that the industrial action would continue until the pay cuts announced by the Government were reversed.
